


Leave the Past Behind

by mitslits



Series: Prompts [42]
Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 11:51:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6802624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mitslits/pseuds/mitslits
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>can you write a merwin fic where merlin finds out about eggsy's rentboy past?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Leave the Past Behind

The irony that it is Merlin’s job to know things and yet he didn’t know something so important about the central figure in his life is not lost on him.

Eggsy looks like he’s trying to be defiant but Merlin knows him too well for the act to be really convincing. The stubborn set of his jaw and the fists clenched at his side can’t quite hide how tense his shoulders are, the near desperate gleam in his eye.

“When were you planning on telling me?” Merlin asks, voice soft in an attempt not to startle him or sound accusatory.

It doesn’t work; Eggsy winces as if he’d struck him. The bravado leaves him a rush. Apparently he’s decided it’s useless. His hands uncurl, fingers picking nervously at the seams of his jeans instead, teeth worrying at his bottom lip. He doesn’t answer Merlin’s question, just asks one of his own. “How’d you find out?”

Merlin sighs, running a hand over his face. What else could Eggsy feel the need to hide from him, he wonders. “One of our targets is, apparently, an old customer of yours. I found your name when I was searching through his file. It mentioned the… particular way the two of you were involved,” he explains, watching him wilt further with each word. It’s not his intent to make him feel worse but the truth is the truth and it’s unavoidable now.

Eggsy is quiet for a long while, eyes fixed on something a long ways away. “…you’ve gotta send me after him,” he finally says, breaking the silence that had settled over them both.

That’s not at all what Merlin is expecting. He opens his mouth to protest, but Eggsy’s head snaps up before he can, eyes as cold and sharp as steel.

“It’ll be easier for me than anyone else. He already trusts me and I’ll be able to get whatever information we need out of him no trouble.” His tone brooks no argument and he looks like he’s prepared to argue this for as long as he needs to.

If there’s one thing he’d learned from having Harry as a mentor it was how to be stubborn. While Merlin had managed to talk Harry out of one or two of his more hare-brained schemes, this… this was different. “There are plenty of other agents-” he starts, but Eggsy is already shaking his head.

“I don’t want to do this, Merlin. I was kind of hopin’ to leave all that behind.” He pastes a weak smile on his face but it is utterly unconvincing and he drops it in seconds regardless. “I need to. Just let me do this. Please.”

Reluctantly, Merlin relents. He holds his gaze for a second, seeing in his eyes everything he can’t say and gives him one long, slow nod. “Alright, Eggsy.” He moves to grab the file for the case, beckoning him closer with a jerk of his head. “Here’s what you’ll need to know…”

-

Eggsy comes back a little more bruised, a little more shaken, but he comes back. Merlin hadn’t been entirely sure he would. He sits motionless through the debriefing, only speaking when spoken to, saying nothing besides.

That night Merlin’s reclined on the sofa when he hears a gentle knock on the door. Slightly puzzled (he isn’t expecting anyone) he cracks the door open warily, blinking when he sees it’s only Eggsy, swamped in a hoodie and with his hand raised to knock again.

When he realizes Merlin can see him he shoves his hands in his pockets, looks up at him through his eyelashes. “Can I come in?” he asks, voice shaking slightly.

Wordlessly Merlin steps to one side, swinging the door open with him.

Eggsy shuffles past him and stands uncertainly in the sitting room, too apprehensive to take a seat as Merlin locks up the house behind him, turns to face him.

“Are you alright?” he prompts after a moment passes in which neither of them say anything.

Eggsy’s head jerks up as if he’d forgotten there was anyone else in the room. He sucks in a deep breath and shakes his head.

Merlin can’t just stand there and watch him so he approaches him slowly, hesitantly reaches out and places a hand on his shoulder. He half expects Eggsy to shrink away from him but to his surprise the boy does the opposite. Arms are suddenly wrapped around him, a head pillowed on his chest. He wraps his arms around him as well, giving him as long as he needs to speak.

“‘M sorry I didn’t tell you earlier,” he mutters, half-muffled by the fabric by his shirt. “I wanted to but… couldn’t find a good way to say it.”

After another minute he pulls back with a sigh, glancing up at Merlin almost shyly. “Do you still… you know. Wanna be with me? Wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t.” He waves a hand back and forth between them looking as if he’s ready to bolt the second Merlin says no.

His face softens. “Oh, Eggsy.” He grabs him by the chin, waits until he meets his eyes before going on. “Nothing you could tell me would make me want to stop being with you,” he promises him earnestly.

Eggsy draws in a shaky breath, even manages a little smile. “Then are you gonna kiss me or are you just gonna stand there?”

Merlin rolls his eyes to the ceiling, but he leans down and kisses him all the same.


End file.
